Programming received at media device, such as at a set top box (STB) or the like, may be stored for later viewing in a digital video recorder (DVR) or other suitable recording device. At a later time, the stored programming may be retrieved from the DVR or recording device, and then presented to the viewer on a display, such as a television or the like.
However, the DVR or recording device typically has a limited memory capacity that is available for storing the programming. Thus, there is a limit to the number of programs that may be stored on the DVR or recording device. At some point, the DVR or recording device will run out of available memory capacity such that no new programming can be recorded. Accordingly, the viewer must selectively delete previously stored programming to free up memory capacity in the DVR or recording device.
Further, programming is now becoming increasingly available in a high definition (HD) format. HD programming uses a relatively large amount of digital data to provide higher image and sound quality. Since a HD program requires more memory capacity, fewer HD programs can be stored in the DVR or recording device.
When a viewer determines that more memory capacity is required on their DVR or recording device, the viewer can selectively delete stored programs, thereby increasing the amount of available memory capacity. Utilized memory capacity (and/or available) may be expressed as a percentage of the total available memory capacity.
Typically, the viewer operates their media device to display a graphical user interface (GUI), such as a menu or the like. The GUI provides a listing of previously recorded programming that has been stored on their DVR or recording device. Typically, for each recorded program, the GUI lists the title of the program, the program duration, along with the date and time that the program was recorded. Some systems may also list the amount of memory capacity utilized by each program, may list the remaining available amount of memory capacity that may be used for future program recordings (or conversely, and/or may list the amount of memory capacity that is currently used for recorded programs), and/or may list other information of interest.
The viewer navigates about the displayed GUI and selects recorded programs that are to be deleted. As stored programs are deleted, memory capacity becomes increasingly available for recording future or currently presented programming. The process of navigating about the GUI and manually selecting programs for deletion is relatively cumbersome and time consuming. And, all too often the viewer wishes to record a program that is currently being presented. Accordingly, if the viewer must first access the GUI and then manually delete programs to make room to store the currently presented program, a portion of the currently presented program may not be recorded due to the time that is required for the viewer to manually select and delete previously recorded programs.
Some DVRs or recording devices employ various processes to automatically delete previously recorded programs. For example, a program that was recorded at a time/date that is before some threshold period may be automatically deleted (unless the viewer specifically selects the program for permanent storage). For example, the DVR or recording device may automatically delete a program one month after it has been recorded. Various other schemes have been devised to automatically select and delete previously recorded programs.
However, even with DVRs or recording devices having automatic program deleting functions, it is likely that from time to time the DVR or recording device will have acquired a sufficiently large number of stored programs such that insufficient memory capacity is available for storing new programs of interest. Thus, there is a need to provide a viewer an efficient way to quickly identify and select previously recorded programs for deletion from their DVR or recording device.